New security measure: Do not disturb signs being Removed!

[Best_Vacation_EVER!]

Wouldn't it make more sense for them to ask for a time range where you'd like housekeeping --- I can book a ADR or a FP or MDE etc.... why not just add a bookable window for housekeeping in advance. X number available in the morning, X number available midday, X number available afternoon, etc....

For Club level rooms doesn't housekeeping come in for Turndown at night or for package delivery. if the real goal is to make sure that they can get in at least once a day --- why not allow for booking?

Would so not like having a random guy showing up at the door demanding entry if we're not expecting it. No issues allowing them in once a day but maybe make it more convenient (and bookable) for the guest...

 

[mom2rtk]

Wouldn't it make more sense for them to ask for a time range where you'd like housekeeping --- I can book a ADR or a FP or MDE etc.... why not just add a bookable window for housekeeping in advance. X number available in the morning, X number available midday, X number available afternoon, etc....

For Club level rooms doesn't housekeeping come in for Turndown at night or for package delivery. if the real goal is to make sure that they can get in at least once a day --- why not allow for booking?

Would so not like having a random guy showing up at the door demanding entry if we're not expecting it. No issues allowing them in once a day but maybe make it more convenient (and bookable) for the guest...

They're looking for the most efficient way to do this. Proactively letting people schedule a time window will have them criss crossing the resorts to get it done. They don't want to have to add more manpower.

CL rooms are a minority so they can schedule things for them.

 

[Best_Vacation_EVER!]

They're looking for the most efficient way to do this. Proactively letting people schedule a time window will have them criss crossing the resorts to get it done. They don't want to have to add more manpower.

CL rooms are a minority so they can schedule things for them.

Don't disagree that it may not be convenient for Disney but maybe they need to think about more than their convenience to make guests feel comfortable about having some random person showing up at the door demanding entrance. Disney is still operating in a service industry so they should care about the perception of how they do this. For an organization that can't seem to stop the delivery of random pizza menus to rooms... maybe there are other ways... other than just saying anyone appearing banging at your door is entitled to entry.

Yeah for CL it may be easier but there are ways for them to manage this that doesn't require the simple act of wanting to take a nap a suspicious act that makes it necessary to allow access at any instance. There has to be a way to bridge the difference.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

These people aren't in the same frame of mind as you are.

It's been pointed out many times in these threads how easy it is to just keep any weapons out of site in closed luggage. I just think if someone is determined enough this won't stop them. A casual criminal/crazy person won't pick Disney as a target. It will be someone who is well prepared.

Do you honestly believe Disney is doing this for safety and not to limit their liability in the event of an incident? This isn't because their lawyers told them this would limit liability?

Or they could do what they do at Disneyland Paris. When you pull up to the resort, the security guard actually inspects the vehicle & looks in the trunk. Only after looking up our reservation, does he open the gate.
Then once we pulled up to the front of the hotel, there's a large tent set up with metal detectors, xray and the whole bit outside. Not random; it's required for everyone walking through the front door. ALL luggage, bags, etc. goes through the xray, like we're at the airport. We go inside and all have to stop again just inside the door to get wand-checked so we stop and spread em like a starfish and then go to check in.
This all happens again on our way to the parks. It's a much smaller property there and our hotel (Newport Bay Club) is an easy walk from the back of the resort to get to the parks, through their mini version of Disney Springs but before we can even get to it, we go through metal detectors, empty pockets, xray bags, etc. After 3 days of this, we were so used it, it didn't even seem weird.
I have to admit, I felt pretty safe there; much safer than in Paris despite a very heavily armed police presence.

Either do it right, or don't do it at all. Random checks are silly. We went to WDW a few weeks after our DLP trip. Ds17 laughed at the security theater at MK's gate saying "Is this supposed to make me feel safe? The don't even check a quarter of the people entering."

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Or they could do what they do at Disneyland Paris. When you pull up to the resort, the security guard actually inspects the vehicle & looks in the trunk. Only after looking up our reservation, does he open the gate.
Then once we pulled up to the front of the hotel, there's a large tent set up with metal detectors, xray and the whole bit outside. Not random; it's required for everyone walking through the front door. ALL luggage, bags, etc. goes through the xray, like we're at the airport. We go inside and all have to stop again just inside the door to get wand-checked so we stop and spread em like a starfish and then go to check in.
This all happens again on our way to the parks. It's a much smaller property there and our hotel (Newport Bay Club) is an easy walk from the back of the resort to get to the parks, through their mini version of Disney Springs but before we can even get to it, we go through metal detectors, empty pockets, xray bags, etc. After 3 days of this, we were so used it, it didn't even seem weird.
I have to admit, I felt pretty safe there; much safer than in Paris despite a very heavily armed police presence.

Either do it right, or don't do it at all. Random checks are silly. We went to WDW a few weeks after our DLP trip. Ds17 laughed at the security theater at MK's gate saying "Is this supposed to make me feel safe? The don't even check a quarter of the people entering."

Could you imagine the back up at the gate, at Disney World? Or at the front door of the resort? My husband and I just packed our car. No luggage carts so we carried everything. Between the two of us, we took about 6 trips, plus driving the scooter from the room to the car.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Could you imagine the back up at the gate, at Disney World? Or at the front door of the resort? My husband and I just packed our car. No luggage carts so we carried everything. Between the two of us, we took about 6 trips, plus driving the scooter from the room to the car.

Oh I can imagine. Then there would be separate lines for privileged folks: DVC members, AP holders, Club Level guests, etc.
It would be ugly. I wasn't suggesting that it's needed; I only replied to the pp who mentioned how easy it would be for someone to bring a gun in their luggage. My point is that randomly selecting some people to go through security is a joke that even kids can recognize. When someone crazy is on a mission, they will find a way.

As always, Freedom/Privacy vs. Security.

JMHO, but I'd be packing much lighter.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Staying at the Boardwalk Villas now. Today around 11 am get a knock at the door saying “housekeeping” (but our trash and towel day was yesterday, so I’m confused). I open the door and it’s a large man and a woman together holding garbage bags but no cart in sight... I say thanks but you guys came yesterday...so...no thanks? They tell me we now get garbage collection everyday. I ask if they can come back in about an hour after we’ve left (I’m still not getting it, lol, had no idea they were security) They actually insisted on coming in. I’m traveling as a woman alone with my teenage daughter (teenager=sleeping in late), we are still in pj’s eating our pancakes. They insisted on searching the room! I asked nicely if just the lady could do it: he said no but she said it was ok... so thanks I guess? I’m not ok as a woman having to get searched like this. Not cool. Jeez guys, if it’s going to be like this just track my activity in the parks. It’s obvious I had fast passes and meals into the later hours. Pretty sure we fit the late start/ late nighter profile. Also we are long-term DVC members and season pass holders. We’ve been coming here FOREVER...

They insisted on entering, while y'all were in your pajamas? Holy cow!

 

[TLSnell1981]

I've also long considered, and maybe I'm wrong, but with the advent of Magicbands, WDW can easily gather quite a bit of information about you.

Just for a start, I just assume they track when your Magicbands are in your room, just like they track our table location at BOG. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just kind of think in terms of why wouldn't they want to track us?

and, they also know, when we are in our rooms...or not.

 

[Princess_Lisa]

"Hello front desk?"

Front desk: "YES?"

"I was hoping to take a nap in my $400 hotel room this afternoon, would that be too much trouble?"
"BTW, I will only be down for thirty minutes, then you can stormtroop & jack-boot your way into my room for my daily mandatory search and seizure."

Front desk: "NO!"

That just gave me an idea for a new Upcharge event. Have actual Stormtroopers from Star Wars perform your room search. All for only $499/night extra. LOL

 

[Summer2018]

That just gave me an idea for a new Upcharge event. Have actual Stormtroopers from Star Wars perform your room search. All for only $499/night extra. LOL

 

[OddDisneyFan]

Either do it right, or don't do it at all. Random checks are silly. We went to WDW a few weeks after our DLP trip. Ds17 laughed at the security theater at MK's gate saying "Is this supposed to make me feel safe? The don't even check a quarter of the people entering."

"Security theater" is the big show that places like Universal put on, where they make a show of the presence of security personnel, cameras, metal detectors, etc. and force EVERYONE through them. It may make you feel safer, but it does not make you safer because there are dozens of ways for threats to enter other than the front door. Disney World was designed to be an escape from everyday life, not a place where the concerns of it are put on display out in the open.

The way to do it "right" is through intelligence. Profile and target the threats. Disney already has a mostly-hidden intelligence operation in place that few people probably know or think about, which they use to catch other criminal behavior such as shoplifting; I just assume when I'm on property that I'm on camera, or within view of the security apparatus. No, they won't catch every threat, but they won't catch every threat with armed guards and metal detectors, either.

The "room checks" sound rather intrusive and out of character for Disney, and if some of the tales are true, the checks are perhaps an example what they should NOT be doing. I agree that "random" searches do little good, but targeted searches which appear "random" are likely part of the right solution. Perhaps permitting folks to opt-out of housekeeping is part of the problem, as otherwise an employee would be in every room every day. If someone's going to be banging on my door at 8am or insist on entering when my kids are napping in the middle of the afternoon, then that would be a huge problem for me.

 

[jbhodj]

Bottom line is it’s Disney covering their own butts, nothing more nothing less. They are trying to narrow the potential for future lawsuits should anything happen.

 

[OddDisneyFan]

Bottom line is it’s Disney covering their own butts, nothing more nothing less. They are trying to narrow the potential for future lawsuits should anything happen.

Giant companies such as Disney usually aren't worried about lawsuits. However, a major PR disaster which damages the brand and leads to a substantial reduction in attendance likely would have a notable impact on the financial performance of the parks.

Regardless, forcibly searching rooms without probable cause or even suspicion is the wrong way to mitigate the risk, and it goes against Disney's traditional approach of keeping the security apparatus mostly invisible. With that said, our family is not in the habit of declining housekeeping or hanging a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door for the duration of our stay, so if that was a sizable problem for them then perhaps they were somewhat cornered.

 

[emilymad]

Staying at the Boardwalk Villas now. Today around 11 am get a knock at the door saying “housekeeping” (but our trash and towel day was yesterday, so I’m confused). I open the door and it’s a large man and a woman together holding garbage bags but no cart in sight... I say thanks but you guys came yesterday...so...no thanks? They tell me we now get garbage collection everyday. I ask if they can come back in about an hour after we’ve left (I’m still not getting it, lol, had no idea they were security) They actually insisted on coming in. I’m traveling as a woman alone with my teenage daughter (teenager=sleeping in late), we are still in pj’s eating our pancakes. They insisted on searching the room! I asked nicely if just the lady could do it: he said no but she said it was ok... so thanks I guess? I’m not ok as a woman having to get searched like this. Not cool. Jeez guys, if it’s going to be like this just track my activity in the parks. It’s obvious I had fast passes and meals into the later hours. Pretty sure we fit the late start/ late nighter profile. Also we are long-term DVC members and season pass holders. We’ve been coming here FOREVER...

This is awful. What did the search entail? Did they just walk around the room or was it more intrusive?

I am going to have a serious issue with this if I am just getting out of the shower or something. DH and I do afternoons at the pool almost every day. Most of the time I come back to the room first to get a shower. I am not letting a man in when I am in the room myself.

 

[han22735]

We just got back last night and had 1 experience with this...Went back to the room to take an afternoon nap with our DD6. We all fell asleep and then there was the knock even though the room occupied sign was up...I asked if she could come back later. Less than an hour later another knock...we were getting ready to leave for the afternoon...she waited in the hall till we left. Kinda annoying...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Just so you guys know there is this thread to share your experiences as well. It's a sticky thread too.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/guest-experiences-with-daily-room-checks.3660888/#post-58749088

*Note it's to share your experience rather than discuss the aspects of the policy but I would still suggest posting on that dedicated thread your experience to help others out.

 

[KarenP64]

We just got back last night and had 1 experience with this...Went back to the room to take an afternoon nap with our DD6. We all fell asleep and then there was the knock even though the room occupied sign was up...I asked if she could come back later. Less than an hour later another knock...we were getting ready to leave for the afternoon...she waited in the hall till we left. Kinda annoying...

And which resort was this at? TIA!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Just so you guys know there is this thread to share your experiences as well. It's a sticky thread too.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/guest-experiences-with-daily-room-checks.3660888/#post-58749088

*Note it's to share your experience rather than discuss the aspects of the policy but I would still suggest posting on that dedicated thread your experience to help others out.

That is great that they started that thread to keep the actual experiences in one place

 

[dreiwhit]

Staying at the Boardwalk Villas now. Today around 11 am get a knock at the door saying “housekeeping” (but our trash and towel day was yesterday, so I’m confused). I open the door and it’s a large man and a woman together holding garbage bags but no cart in sight... I say thanks but you guys came yesterday...so...no thanks? They tell me we now get garbage collection everyday. I ask if they can come back in about an hour after we’ve left (I’m still not getting it, lol, had no idea they were security) They actually insisted on coming in. I’m traveling as a woman alone with my teenage daughter (teenager=sleeping in late), we are still in pj’s eating our pancakes. They insisted on searching the room! I asked nicely if just the lady could do it: he said no but she said it was ok... so thanks I guess? I’m not ok as a woman having to get searched like this. Not cool. Jeez guys, if it’s going to be like this just track my activity in the parks. It’s obvious I had fast passes and meals into the later hours. Pretty sure we fit the late start/ late nighter profile. Also we are long-term DVC members and season pass holders. We’ve been coming here FOREVER...

For me, the biggest problem I have with this policy is how do I know the people at the door that say they are security are actually security? How can I be sure they are housekeeping when there is no cart with them? A red flag for me is that they insist on coming in the room and won't come back.

If scammers can slip flyers for the "pizza scam" under resort room doors, someone could attempt to gain access to occupied rooms for evil purposes.

FWIW, one of the things in the security training that I have taken is that when staying at a hotel, don't open the door for people you don't know, and, do not open the door to accept deliveries (have them left at the front desk.)

 

[han22735]

And which resort was this at? TIA!

Beach club villas